Melton, Brimbank crop houses busted: Police arrest eight and seize over $1m worth of cannabis

More than $1m worth of cannabis plants has been uncovered after police busted alleged crop houses in Brimbank and Melton. Watch the video.

Police have arrested eight people for allegedly stealing electricity to power cannabis crop houses after uncovering more than $1m worth of cannabis plants in Melbourne’s west.

Brimbank divisional response unit detectives executed 13 warrants this week and allegedly found nine hydroponic cannabis setups in Melton and Brimbank, with three containing a commercial quantity of cannabis.

Police also allegedly seized 618 cannabis plants throughout the week, with an estimated street value of more than $1.2m

Detectives also allegedly found 11 electrical bypass units allegedly used to steal electricity to divert to nine hydroponic setups.

Seven people have been charged with cultivating cannabis and theft of electricity including a:

- 29-year-old Brookfield man

- 51-year-old Burnside woman

- 44-year-old Burnside man

- 64-year-old Caroline Springs man

- 62-year-old Caroline Springs man

- 51-year-old Caroline Springs man

- 42-year-old Taylors Hill man

Police will continue to make enquiries with an eighth person who was arrested this week.

Those charged have been bailed to appear at court at a later date.

Brimbank divisional response unit senior detective Sergeant Kylie Snart said detectives were cracking down on cultivating or manufacturing illicit drugs and cannabis crop houses in Melbourne’s west.

“Crop houses also pose a significant community risk themselves, with a number of well-documented instances of fires in homes that were growing hydroponic cannabis crops,” she said.

“We are regularly targeting crop houses through various intelligence means, including regular engagement with energy authorities with abnormalities in the power network and, most importantly, reports of suspicious behaviour from the community.”